Temperature responsive ventilator for beehives



Nov. 13, 1951 M. l. TAYLOR TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE VENTILATOR FOR BEEHIVES Filed June 26'. 1947 gimme/14101, MERRITT I. TAYLoR WM PIES Patented Nov. 13, '1951 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE TEMPERATURE RESPONSIV VENTQATOR FoR BEEHIVES Merritt I.-Taylor, Richmond, Va. Application .time 26, 1947, serial No. 757,258

(c1. aise- 49) llrClamsi l.

'I'his'v invention relates to tempera-ture responsive ventilators for heehives and, more particularly, to such a ventilator wherein the temperature responsive elementi comprises two elongated metallic elements of different lcoeiiicients of-v thermal expansion.

One of' the problems confronting beeV keepers is control of temperature'within the hive.Y During'the winter a certain amount of upward ventilation isY desirable at all times tov allow" the moisture laden air to' pass outiof the hive. However; afterbrocd rearing has begun it is desirable that this upward ventilationv be maintained at a desired min'ixrium` when the outside temperature drops below 70" F. Itis also'highly'ldesirable' that' the`v ventilationV be automatically' increasedwhen the temperature rises above a certain value in warm weather` and decreased except for the' aforesaid certain amount' of upward ventilation in cold weather. TheseV changes in ventilation of a hive' may" be required daily as well as with the seasons as in climate's'wliere extremes of heat and cold are common over twentyfour hour periods such that the hive may become excessively hot duringtlieday while' the temperature will'become too low atnifght unless theve/ntilation is controlled.V vThev ventilation apertures may also have the additional advantage of providing a top entrance for the bees.

It..is4 the general purpose of myjinventionto meet YtheQproblem mentioned in theforegoing paragraph by providing. an attachmentvl for a hive which is fullyy automatic toamb'ient changes of",y temperature to. affordd complete. and adequate ventilation of the hive atl those timeswhen the temperature in the hive is at or above a predetermined value, and to Aautomatically close .the ventilation .apertures .whenever the temperature drops to or belowfa` healthful value for thecol- Ony; l

More specicall'y. it is an object `of the invention to,V provide atemperature responsive ventilator slideactuatingmeans,which is powerfufand positive in operationend yetlcapable ofsensitive and.' accurate control and adjustment' tosuitva'r- A still further object is to provide a thermoresponsive actuating element having positive drive' for both increase and decrease of temperature and which is compact, relatively simple and reliable in operation over an indefinite period of time;

Other objects and advantages will becomea'pparent after a study of the following disclosure.

In the drawing:

Figure lis a plan View, partly in section, of` one form of the invention mounted inposition in a hive andV utilizing aspring drive inone direc"- tion of movement of the ventilator slide.`

Figure 2 isan elevation ofthe species' of Fig'- ure` l, the ventilator'frame and slide being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing'. in greater detail the pivoted end of the loi-metallic actuating elements and the mounting cap therefor.

Figure 4 is a view taken upon a plane indicated by line 4 4, Figure l, and showing the anti-friction mounting ofthe ventilator slide.

Figure 5v is a plan view partly in section and corresponding to Figure l, but showing a modification utilizing positive thermo-responsivel driving power for both directions ofoperation of the slide;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the species'o'f Figure 5. Y

Referring in detail to the drawing, I identifies generally .a frame adapted to rest' upon and joe supported by the top edges of the 'walls' of a standiard rectangular beehive and which may replace the standard inner cover used with such hives or which may be interposed between such cover and the hive. In this frame, the part la may be either` an end or side piece as desired. The side wallsof the top or outer cover are' identified at 2. Za'and 2b. This outer cover'ts down over'and about the hive walls with a substantial overlap so' that the ventilator frame of my invention-as well' as the inner cover, may becompletely enclosed .when the outer cover is in place.

At least.- one side, or end,` of frame l, is formed bya channel guide 31secured at its ends in any suitable manner, to the ends vof sides such as lo. This guide 3 has spaced ventilator apertures throughout its length, as shown at 4; and a narrow slot 5 at one end through which extends` a lug. 6 secured to or formedintegrally withaventilator slide I mounted for free sliding within channel `guide 3. As shown-.at vFigure 4; theslide iscut-away at its ends, as indicated at l8'. A bearing ball 9 rests in the lowerV channel portion and, in turn, supports slide 1 so, that a smallforce is pletely out of alignment and ventilation to the I inside of the hive is cut ol, while in the other limiting position, each aperture I0 is in full alignment with its corresponding aperture 4, and full ventilation is afforded. The frame I may be extending therefrom and spaced to receive lug 6 therebetween. The arms are slotted as indicated in dotted lines, Figure 1, and a pivot pin 3| passes through the slots and a hole in lug 6. Thus, as the length of tube I6 increases with rise in temperature, the end of rod 22 tends to move away from lug I2a and, because of the action of spring 21, the right end of the tube moves4 upwardly as seen in Figure l, to bring the apertures 4 and Il) more nearly into full alignment. By turning the end 22a. of rod 22, after installation, the instrument may be adjusted to bring made of wood, metal, or plastic and, if of plastic or metal, may be formed in one piece. krAs indi-- cated at II, Figure 1, wall 2 may be cut away'on its inner surface to facilitate the passage of air to and from the ventilator frame. This cut away portion, of course, opens downwardly only so that no moisture can enter therethrough.

A base I2 is attached by screws I3 to the inner wallfof one side of frame I. This base has an upstanding lug IZa, apertured at I i to accommodate with a snug t, a pivot bolt I5. A length of tube I6, which may conveniently be of aluminum, is threaded at both ends. As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the left end of this tube has a first cap I1 threaded thereon. This cap has spaced lugs I 1a and I1b outstanding from the face thereof and having aligned apertures as at I9 and 20, Figure 3, to receive pivot bolt I5. The lugs I1a and I1b are spaced to accommodate lug AIL between them with a smooth fit so that, when the parts are assembled as shown, the tube I B may pivot smoothly and without play, on bolt I5.

The other end of tube I6 has a second cap I8 .threaded thereon and held in adjusted position by a set screw 2I. The end cap I8 has a central hole in which is threaded or otherwise secured one end of a rod 22 which may be formed of an alloy having substantially zero coeicient of linear thermal expansion over ordinary temperature slide 1 into any desired position relatively to guide 3 forthe temperature at the time of adjustment. Furthermore, by properly correlating the width of aperturesf and I il with the length of the tube I6 and the effective temperature range, the

' ventilator may be designed to make certain that range such as the well-known nickel-iron base alloys known as Invar or Elinvar. This rod has a squared end 22a extending from cap I8. 4The rod extends with a loose lit through tube I6 and its other end projects a short distance through'a central aperture 23 in cap I1 4and terminates in a rounded end which, in the assembled position, bears on the smooth at outer end of lug IZa.

From Figure 1 it will be noted that the axis of bolt I5 is offset from the point of contact of rod 22 with lug I2a in a direction transversely of the rod. The4 linear value of this offset will be determined by several factors such as the length of the tube and rod, the available temperature range and the linear value of the desired control movement. An offset of approximately one-eighth inch is satisfactory for the indicated conditions of use and is shown somewhat exaggerated in the gures for clarity of illustration.

Cap I1 has an arm I1c extending downwardly therefrom as seen in Figure 1 and has a tapped hole 24 vin which a screw 25 is threaded. The end of this screw carries a dished washer 26. A coil spring 21 is interposed between washer 26 and base I2, and acts to urge tube I6 counterclockwise as seen in Figure 1. This movement is limited by the engagement of the end of rod 22 against lug I 2a. The spring 21 is omitted in Figure 2 for clarity of illustration. Its end adjacent base I2 is held in position by a pin 28.

Cap I8 has a pair'of parallel arms 23 and 30 I.'75 ing temperatures.

the ventilator apertures are fully closed at a predetermined low temperature and fully open at a predetermined high temperature. Thus, supposing that the tube I'6 is one foot in length, that the offset of rod 22`relatively to bolt I5, is oneeighth inch and that the apertures should be fullyclosed at 57 F. and fully open at 90 F. The temperature range is then 33 F., the change in length of tube I6 overvthis range is about one two-hundredths of an inch and the corresponding translation of slide 1 will be very closely 1/2 inch. Thus by making the ventilator apertures about 1/2 inch in width and by proper adjustment of rod 22, the apertures will be fully closed at 57 F. and fully open at F.

In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown a modification in which spring 21 may be omitted if desired and positive operation attained by the thermo-responsive elements for increasing as well as decreasing temperatures. In these figures, I' indicates a ventilator frame which may be a duf plicate of the one described in connection with Figures l and 2. A base 32 has a pivot lug 32a and is secured to the frame I by screws 33. The tube 34 and rod 35 may be duplicates of I6 and 22, respectively. Tube 34 has a cap 3B threaded thereon. This caphas spaced parallel lugs 36a and 36h. A pivot bolt 31 passes through aligned apertures in lugs 32a, 35a. vand 36h, to afford a smooth pivot joint without play. A spacer sleeve 38 is interposed between lugs 32a and 36h, as shown at Figure 6.

Rod 35 may be flattened at its end projecting from cap 36. A pivot pin 39 is threaded into an aperture in the end of rod 35 and has a smooth reduced end tting a slot 40, Figure 5, in lug 32a. This slot is generally normal to the axis of rod 35 so that as tube 34 increases and decreases in length with change of temperature a torque is applied to tube 34 positively moving its opposite end in a corresponding direction as will be obvious from inspection of the figures.

It will be understood that the other end of tube 34 Aand rod 35 may be'connected together and to slide 1 in the same manner as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Of course, a take-up spring corresponding to 21may be used with the species of Figures 5 and 6 if desired. Also it is contemplated that spring 21 may be replacedy by a coil or leaf spring acting directly on slide 1. For example, ysuch a spring might be attached between end or side Ia, Figure 1, and lug 6, to urge slidel 1 upwardly as viewed in that gure.

I have thus provided a temperature-responsive ventilator for beehives which is powerful in operation, very sensitive to temperature changes and easily designed and adjustedjfor the desired'limit- The ventilator relatively simple :andmexpensive to constructI andsmayr'b quickly applied, Without ani/Substantial changes or. alterations to the hive to Which-it is to be mp1s@V Y y WhileI have shown a preferred form together with a modification thereof, numerous other changes, substitutions and modications will occurto `those skilled :in the art after a study of the present disclosure. For example, the tube I6 and. rod 22 may be replacedby rigid lengths of the corresponding metals rectangular in )cross section and rigidly connected at one end. The pivot boltV l5A may be replaced by a leaf. spring attached at one en d to oney of the ilengths vof metal-and at the Aother y.end lto hase l2.\.The adjacentend of. the otherlengthvmay. then. engage Van ,abutmentonf base 12. While I have shown-in Figures-.l and 2, an arrangement where-V by the slide is operated for decreasing temperatures by tube I6 and rodV 22, it will be obvious that by making tube I6 of an alloy having substantially zero coefficient of linear thermal expansion and rod 22 of aluminium or other high-coeicient metal, the action may be reversed.

In the claims, the term strip is to be interpreted to include an elongated, substantially straight length of metal irrespective` of its crosssectional shape.

In the claims, the term relatively high co-` eflicient of expansion is to be. understood as a 'i coefficient of linear thermal expansion of 9 106 (and above) per degree Fahrenheit at about 70 F. A

For the-foregoing reasons, the disclosure is to be taken in an illustrative rather than a .limiting sense; and it is my desire and intention to reserve all such modifications as fall within the, scope of the subjoined claims.

Having now fully disclosed my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. The combination with av beehive -having closed side walls, a frame adapted to rest upon and be supported bysaid walls and having the same shape as the beehive, there being a ventilator opening through one'wall of said frame, rclosure means supported by said frame and movable thereon to open and close the ventilator opening, rst and second elongatedY strips, said rst strips comprising a metal having a relatively high -coeicient of expansion and said second strip comprising an alloy having a substantially zerocoefcient of expansion, means rigidly uniting said strips at one endonly in coextensive parallel relation, a base ixedly carried by said frame, means mounting the other end Aof one said strip for pivotal movement on said base about an axis normal to said strip, the adjacent end `o f theother said strip engaging said. base at a point offset from said axis normal to said strips, means drivingly connecting said closure means to said strips adjacent their connected ends to open and close the same in response to predetermined temperature change within the beehive, and spring means between said base and said one strip, said spring means urging said strips toward pivotal movement in a direction holding said other strip in contact with said base.

2. A ventilator for a beehive, having closed side Walls, in combination a frame adapted to rest upon Said walls and including a side Wall having Ventilating apertures therein and a slide translatable to close yand uncover said apertures, a tube, a base iixedly carried by said frame, means pivoting said tube at one end on said base on an axis transverse to said tube, r arod looselytting within;saidtube and secured thereto .at :the 4end remote-trom saidbase, saidrod engaging -said baseiat;` appointV offset fromvsaid pivot axis, and meanspat said remote end connecting said tube lto:said slid,e,1said rod and'tube being of metals having-adifference between their coe'icients of linear thermal expansion.

3. A ventilator as recited in claim 2, the means securing said rod, and tube together comprising acapsecured over the adjacent end of *saidv tube and having a central threaded aperture, the adjacent` .end Eof said rod being threaded through Sadmperture and projectingv a. short distance from -said cap, whereby said rod may be turned tti-.adjust the position of said slide at any selected temperature; s

- 4.- In ya-jgenerallylrectangularventilator frame forbeehives and comprising four sides, one said side comprising a guide having a irst set of venti.- lator apertures therethrough and a slide translatablycarried-by said guide and having a second set Vof ventilator apertures therethrough, said slide being movable between first and second positions to move each aperture in said slide from complete alignment to completely close said first set offapertures, a-tube, first and second caps secured over each end of said tube, each cap having -a :central aperture, a rod passing through said/tube and projecting through each said aperture; said rod threadedly engaging said first cap,I meansmounting said second cap on a side of said frame in position remote from said slide, for pivotal movementonvan axis transverse to said tube, the adjacent projecting end of said rod engaging saidymeans at a point offset from said axis in a directiontransversely of said tube, and pivot` means connecting said rst cap with said slide, one of said tube and rod being of an alloy having substantially zero coecient of expansion. and the other being of a metal having a large coemcient of* expansion.

5. 4A ventilator for a beehive, a base, tube meansfpivoted at ya rst end on said base on an axis normal to said tube means, a rod passingthrough said. tube means andV secured theretoatza second end, the adjacent end of-said rodengaeing said base at a point oiset from said axis transversely of said tube means and rod, and movable ventilator means connected with the tube-means adjacent its end remote from saidl base for actuation thereby said tube means being composed of fa substance of materially different coefcient of thermal expansion from that of saidsrod.

6. Aventilator for albeehive, having, inY combination, a frame adapted to be supported by the side-Wallsof said hive and including a slide translatable to openand close ventilator apertures in said frame, a baseI carried by and rigid with respect to said frame, a tube of metal having a relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion, means mounting said tube at one end on said base for pivotal movement thereon about an axis normal to the longitudinal axis of said tube, a rod of an alloy having substantially zero coeicient of linear thermal expansion extending Within and along said tube, means iixing said tube and rod together at their ends remote from said base, said rod at its end adjacent said base engaging an abutment on said base at a point adaxial to the pivot axis ofsaid tube, a spring acting between said tube and base and tending to pivot said tube on its axis to urge said rod into engagement With said abutment, and means connecting the end of said tube remote from said base, with said slide to actuate the same in response to variations in ambient temperature.

'7. A ventilator for a beehive, having, in combination, a frame adapted to be supported by the side Walls of said hive and including a part movable to open and close a ventilator opening in said frame, a tube, a base adapted to be rigidly carried by said frame, a cap having a Central aperture secured to one end of Said tube, lugs projecting from said base and cap and having aligned apertures through which a pivot bolt passes to pivot said tube on said base on an'axis normal to theaxis of said tube, a rod extending along and Within said tube, means adjustably securing said tube and rod together at their ends remote from said base, said rod projecting through said aperture, pin and slot means in said base and projecting end of said rod connecting said rod and base at a point offset from said axis, .and a driving connection between said part and the end of said tube and rod remote from said base said tube being composed of a substance having a coeincient of thermal expansion differing materially from that of said rod.

8. A ventilator and top entrance for a beehive comprising a rectangular frame of the same size as the hive and adapted to rest upon and be supported by the side walls of the hive, said frame having a plurality of combined ventilator and entrance openings in and through at least one side thereof, closure means carried by said frame and movable to close said openings, a base on the side of frame opposite the side-having said closure means, a pair of elongated metallic elements of different coeiicients of expansion and rigidly secured together at one end, means pivoting one said element on said base at its other end, an abutment on said base engaged by the adjacent end of the other said element at a point slightly oiset from the .pivot axis of said pivoting means in a direction normal to said elongated elements, an operating connection between the connected ends of said elements and said closure means, whereby said ventilator and entrance openings are opened and closed in response to changes in ambient temperature and resilient means urging said other element into engagement with said abutment.

9. In combination with a beehive having closed side walls and a cover adapted in normal position to iit down over and about the upper portion of said Walls, a ventilator frame adapted to rest upon said walls and to be enclosed by said cover when the latter is in normal position, said frame having combined Ventilating and entrance openings therethrough, a slide, means mounting said slide on said frame for movement from a rst position closing said openings to a second position leaving said openings unobstructed, a base on said frame, a tube of metal having a high coefficient of linear expansion-means mounting said tube on said base for pivotal movement about an axis normal'to said tube,` a rod of an alloy having a substantially zero coemcient of linear expansion fitting said tube and engaging said base at one end of said rod in offset relation from the pivot axis of Said tube, means uniting said tube and rod at their ends remote from said base, and an operating connection at said remote end, between said tube and slide.

10.*The combination recited in claim 9, said means uniting said tube and rod comprising a cap threaded on the end of said tube and having a central threaded aperture, said rod threaded into said aperture, whereby turning adjustment of said rod enables calibration setting of said slide.

11. The combination with a beehive having side walls and a top adapted to iit over and about the top portions of said walls, a frame including a wall having ventilator apertures therein, slide means carried by said frame and movably relatively thereto to open and close said ventilator apertures, iirst and second rigid lengths of metal connected at their first ends, one said length of metal having a coefficient of thermal expansion materially diierent from that of the other, a basev secured to said frame, means pivoting the second end of one said length of metal only on said base for movement about on axis normal to both said lengths, the adjacent end of the other said length of metal engaging saidbase at a point offset from said axis in a direction normal to said Vaxis and said length of metal, means operativ'ely connecting the first ends of said lengths to s aid slide means to move the same in response to temperature changes in the beehive, and spring means between said base and lengths of metal to urge the same into pivotal movement to hold the adjacent end of said other length of metal in contact with said base.

-1 MERRITT I. TAYLOR.

REFERENCES C ITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

